If you’re big on cooking, or would just a little something extra to add to your meals or drinks, why not try using flowers! Did you know there are several different types of flowers that are edible? And many that not only taste good, but look beautiful as an accent to food dishes as well. I have put together a list of edible flowers:

Alliums (Leeks, Garlic, Chive) - The “flowering onion.” All kinds of alliums and parts are edible. Use in salads, or ccok them as spices.

Angelica - Angelica has a flavor similar to licorice. The seeds and stems can be candied and used in liqueor. Leaves have a celery-like flavor, and can be used in salad or with fish. Young leaves can also be made into tea.

Anise Hyssop - Flowers and leaves have anise/licorice flavor (similar almost to root beer). Used a lot in Chinese videos.

Apple Blossoms - Floral flavor great in fruit dishes or to be candied as a garnish.

Arugula (Garden Rocket, Rocket-Salad) - Italian green, both flowers and leaves can be used in salads or sandwiches. Arugula is similar to a radish in looks and taste, with a spicy, peppery flavor that gets stronger as the plants mature.

Aquatic Plants -
Cattails - Can eat the shoots and roots. Pollen can be used in biscuits.
Watercress - Used in salads and as a garnish.
Water Lily - The roots of the water lily are edible.

Banana Blossoms (Banana Hearts) - Generally used in Southeast Asia cuisines. Can cook it or eat it raw.

Basil - The leaves and flowers are edible, though the flower flavor isn’t as strong. Use in salads, pasta, and as a spice.

Bee Balm (Wild Oswego Tea, Horsemint) - Wild bee balm has a flavor like oregano and mint. Others taste like citrus (lemon, orange). Use with fruits, salads, or as tea.

Borage - Cucumber-like taste. Good in punches, lemonade, gin & tonic, cold soups, and dips.

Broccoli Florets - Use in salad, or cook/steam (vegetable).

Calendula (Marigold) - The flower taste’s range — spicy, bitter, tangy, and peppery, Can sprinkle petals on soup, pasta, rice, and salads.

Carnations - Carnation petals are sweet. Can be used in candy, desserts, wine, salads, and liqueor. Carnations are used to make the French liqueor, Chartreuse.

Chamomile - Flowers have a sweet flavor, similar to apples. Can be used in tea.

Chervil - Has an anise flavor. Add and cook at the end, or sprinkle on dishes raw.

Chicory - Petals or buds have an “earthy” flavor (a mild, bitter taste).

Chyrsanthemums - Tangy and a bit bitter, from peppery to a light cauliflower taste. Use on salads, in vinegar, and in stir fry.

Cilantro/Coriander - Leaves, seeds, and flowers have a strong herbal flavor. Use on salads, in bean dishes, and cold veggie dishes.

Citrus Blossoms (Orange, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit) - Use in pastries and beverages. Can use the petals, but do so sparingly. Have a citrus flavor.

Clover - Sweet with a licorice-like flavor.

Cornflower/Bachelor’s Button - Light, sweet, and spicy clove flavor. Use as a garnish, or use bloom as a food dye.

Dandelions - Young flowers have a sweet, honey flavor. The older the bloom, the more bitter the taste. Buds have more flavor than the flowers, and are good raw, or even steamed.

Day Lilies - Sweet with a light veggie flavor (lettuce, melon). Can be used in desserts and salads.

Dill - Dill has a tangy flavor. Use it as an herb/season. The seeds can also be used in baking.

Elderberry - Elderberry has a sweet taste. The fruit is used in wine making, but all other parts of the plant are poinsonous!!!

English Daisies - The english daisy has edible petals with a tangy, mildly bitter taste. Use petals as a garnish or on salads.

Fennel - Fennel has an anise flavor and can be used in soups or as a garnish.

Fuchsia - Light acidic flavor. Can be used as a garnish as well as having edible berries.

Garden Sorrel - Garden sorrel has a tart, lemony taste. Good on salad, in sauce, or anything you would use a lemon on!

Geraniums - Vary with the type of flower. Can be spicy, fruity, or have a citrus flavor. Use in desserts or drinks.

Gladiolus - Can use the petals in salads, and the flowers for sweet spreads.

Hibiscus - Hibiscus has a citrus, cranberry-like flavor. Use a small amount in salads or as a garnish.

Honeysuckle - Tastes like honey! Though the berries are poisonous!

Hyacinth - Can eat the plant bulb raw or cooked. Hyacinths have a sweet, nutty flavor.

Jasmine - Jasmine is most commonly used in teas.

Lavender - Has a floral flavor, sweet with a touch of citrus. Good for desserts, wines, and even soup/stew.

Lilac - A light bitter, citrusy taste. Good to use in salads.

Linden - Linden has a honey-like flavor and is used in teas. Be careful when consuming linden, as too much can cause heart damage.

Lovage - Lovage tastes similar to celery and is commonly used as a season.

Nasturtiums - The flowers are sweet, yet spicy, in flavor, and the leaves are peppery. Can be used as garnishes and in salads.

Orchids - Orchids are a source of fiber and vitamin C. Use in salads, candied, or in cooking.

Pansy - Have a flavor that is grassy. Used best in salad, fruit salad, or in soup.

Passion Flowers - The passion flower tastes sweet and can be used as a garnish or in teas.

Peony - Flower petals can be used for teas, punches, and in salads.

Queen Anne’s Lace (Wild Carrot, Bishop’s Lace) - Queen Anne’s Lace has a light carrot taste that is good for salads.

Red Clover - The red clover has a sweet taste and is used in making wine and teas.

Rosemary - Use dried as an herb in cooking, or in dressings/sauces.

Roses - The flavor of roses is compared to strawberries and apples, as they are usually sweet. All roses are edible, and the darker the rose, the more flavor it has.

Snapdragon - The snapdragon flower has an almost bland to bitter taste to it and is often used as a garnish.

Sunflower - The bud has the best taste, close to an artichoke (it can even be steamed like one!), and the petals have a bittersweet taste once bloomed.

Sweet Woodruff - The flavor is a blend of sweet, grassy, vanilla, and nutty flavors.

Tulips - Tulip petals are edible. They taste like lettuce, peas, or cucumber.

Violet - Use the leaves and flowers in salads or desserts. The violet is sweet in flavor.

Yucca - Yucca petals are edible with a light, sweet taste (similar to an artichoke). Use in salads or as a garnish.